RIP Technical Trails

I'm having difficulty in expressing just how I feel right now; pissed off, frustrated, sad, hopeless. All because I do not understand the selfishness of some people.

The Knob has stood as a fun and technical trail since we began to cut the first single track in 1992. During that time til now, many endearing features have stood as defining characteristics of the trail system; the rock tunnel, the cradle, hollowed out log crossings, the squeeze tree, the gold fish bowl, etc...

While out prepping for trail work today, I discovered that over the weekend someone took it upon themselves to cut out one of the two trees that make "the squeeze" on the trail section that runs parallel to McAfee road, right before the switch back climbs. This feature has been here since the start, 22 years, with countless cyclists navigating it's tight constraints. Now it's just another dumbed down section of trail that will no longer leave an imprint in a rider's memory of the experience.

We are at a crux. This is private property that has been opened for public use because we want to share it and allow it to enrich other's lives. Many have invested time and money in this cause only to be rewarded each time their tires roll across the Knob's dirt. However, this blatant disrespect has us reconsidering whether this access is valued in the community. This action shall not be condoned by complacency in response.

If you are responsible for this, or know who is, I'd like to hear from you. Taking responsibility now will go a long way towards preserving access for all in the immediate future.

Rody
rody@groovycycleworks.com
330-988-0537

Chris's Camo Sedona Singletrack machine...

Chris flew in from Arizona to check out his new bike and to ride with me at Vulture's Knob.

A custom steel frame with Titanium bar/stem combo, Ti seatpost, Ti Hot Rods, custom ceramic coated Velocity Dually rims, and a ceracoated Profile chainwheel.

We had a great time unveiling the bike and getting it dirty, can't wait for it to christen the trails of Red Mountain.

Enjoy...

See the unveiling video here on facebook and follow along!

cheers,

rody

Johns titanium belt drive rohloff cruiser...

This project has been a long time in development, but is gathering steam and running for the finish line.

This will be a full Ti frame, Ti bar/stem combo, Ti Hot Rod cranks, Ti truss fork, Ti surf board rack, wood fenders, lights, rims...the list goes on.

One of the many cruxes of this build was fabricating a Rohloff compatible belt cog, as I am a bit rebellious and refuse to send a customer frame out for stiffness testing just so I have the privilege of purchasing a part.  So I took an existing cog for hyperglide and created a fixture that held it concentrically in the lathe so that I could machine out the internal section of the cog.

I then machined a 4 point engagement thread into an insert and welded it sequentially into the cog using an aluminum spacer placed in the welding fixture to insure the intended belt line was maintained once the threads of the cog were fully engaged.

The whole shebang was then coated in Cerakote for durability and muted looks.

BAM...we 'aint nobody's bitch  :)

Thanks to the guys at Fat-bike.com for the nice overview on Jeroen's Wagon...

Looky here...

Painting basic graphics...

As another opportunity to help educate, I put together a small vid that shows the steps involved to create and apply basic painted graphics to a frame...

cheers,

rody

Pondering paint...

The dull grey sheen of the primer base gently reflects the light from the window outside the paint booth. A blank canvas, it portends the embodiment of a personality, a reflection of the rider to be. Creativity cannot be forced, it must be allowed to spring forth naturally, in its own time. For two days I've struggled, balancing artistic desires and contractual necessity, allowing images and possibilities to flow through my mind, formulating a solution that exceeds expectations and reaches an exuberant yet speechless response. Such is the paradigm I am immersed into each time a customer says "do what you want".

A deep breath of anticipation leaves my chest, here we go ...